Method of manufacturing vulcanized shoes



1931- R. T. GRIFFITHS 1,834,582

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING VULCANIZED' SHOES I Filed Aug. '7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Wm E I v INVENTOR". '[ll H i ATTORNEYS Dec. 1, 1931. R. T. GRIFFITHS 1,834,582

METHOD OF MANUFACTUI R ING VUL'CANI ZED SHOES Filed Aug. 7, 1929 2 Sheets-Shet 2 MIMI" flichamlraqwz'm,

ATTORNEYS,

Patented Dec. 1 1931 "UNITED STATES RICHARD '1'. GRIFFITHS, OF AKRON, OEIO, ASSIGiN'OR, BY MISNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

PATENT OFFICE MILLER ,RUB BER GOMIPANY INQ, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE METHOD OF MANUFACTURING V'U'IEANIZED SIHZOES Application filed August 7, 1929. Serial No. 384,047.

My invention relates to light-weight vulcanized shoes preferably having as a closing means for the front vent opening a slide type of fastener, and is concerned particularly 5 with .the vent opening of the shoes andthe parts associated therewith.

The invention consists in a method of manufacture and particularly in the production of certain assemblies which enables a pleasing and highly satisfactory shoe to be made, on a commercial scale, at a low cost.

The invention'is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of'the complete shoe, produced in accordance with my inven-' tion.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the. main blank which includes the vamp and quarters.

Fig. MS a cross section on line 9-9 of Fig.

4, and showing the'composite fly strip of Fig. 8 before assembly therewith and Fig. 10 is a similar view, but with the fly strip rolleddown into place, ready for apply: in to the shoe last. T

the method herein described for the urpose of disclosing the invention, the main iilank consists of two superimposed complemental sheets; one, a thin, unvulcanized rubber sheet, and the other an elastic and flexible fabric sheet, the two being in adhering face to face contact. In the complete shoe the fabric sheet forms a lining.

This composite blank, or sheet, 1 is shaped to form the vam and quarters, which includes portions 0 the heel of the shoe, and is preferably applied to alast after other portions have been associated therewith, as will be hereinafter described. A vent opening 2 is cut in the sheetl approximately at the middle of the same, and extends from the vamp through the upper edge of the sheet.

A tongue 3, preferably made relatively stiff and preferably comprising outer strips 3a of lining fabric, and an interposed friction fabric strip 3?) conforming in shape to strips 3a, but having at one side a lower marginal' portion 4 projecting beyond the contiguous edges of the strips 3a and constituting a tab 30, is adhesively connected to the unlined outer face of the upper 1, contiguous to one edge of the vent opening therein. The remaining portion of the tongue is left free:

The major portion of the tongue is then passed through the vent opening to bring it on the lined inner side of the unit 1.

The stringers 5 of a slide fastener are then pressed into adhering contact with the unlined outer face of blank 1, forming the marginal portions of the vent opening, and the exposed marginal. portions 4 and 3c of the tongue. This completes the main assembly of the shoe. I

The fly assembly consists of an unslit strip 6 preferably formed of frictionfabric, a fly stri 7 of sheet rubber, and a trimming strip 8 o a somewhat thicker rubber.

The strip, or blank, 7 is in length somewhat greater than that of the vent opening,

and is in width somewhat greater than the distance between the outer lengthwise edges of the stringers 5 of the fastener. The trimmin strip, or blank, 8 is preferabl formed rom a sheet of somewhat heavier material than strip 7, is .in length somewhat less than the latter, is much narrower than the same, and is pressed in adhering contact with the middle part thereof. Thereafter the two strips are slit lengthwise from the upper corresponding ends of the same to a point adjacent the lower end of the trimming strip. Thereafter the slit edges are held slightly spaced apart to prevent readhering thereof, and the strip 6 is pressed into-adherin contact with the opposite or 'back face of t e strip 7 to thus hold the slitted fly strip in proper relation to prevent stretchfhe strip 6 is in width preferably somewhat less than that of strip 7, and parts of fly strip assembly," as

- may be done at any stage prior to vulcaniza= tion.

In applying the fly assembly to the main assembly, the latter is preferably placed on a fiat 'surface'with the lining facing down and the slide of the astener in closed position. Then the adjacent portions of sheet 7 are pressed in adhering contact with the outer marginahedge portions of the stringers and the adjacent portions of the face of blank 1. It will be understood that the margins only of the stringers have been previously coated with a rubber cement to insure adhesion of the fly strip only along these marginal areas and not at the center.

The complete assembly is preferably then placed on a last and after the edges 1a, 1b of unit 1 have been connected along .the back of the last. and the other shoe parts applied, the article is subjected to a vulcanizing operation.

Upon the removal of the shoe from the vulcanizer, the fabric strip 6 of the fly assembly is cut in register with the slits in the strips 7 and 8, and the slide of the fastener is then moved for disengaging the interengaging members of the fastener, and the vent openigg is spread and the shoe removed from the The relatively inextensible lining strip '6 of the fly assembly adds to the stability of the marginal edge portions thereof and serves, during the vulcanizing step, to hold these marginal edge portions in proper position.

The attachnientof the lower part only of.

one marginal edge of the tongue to a contiguous marginal edge portion of the vent opening. results, when the slide of the fastener is manipulated to closethevent, in the selfk centering of the upper free end of the tongue in reference to the vent opening.

If the tongue is attached throughout sub-= stantiall its full length along one edge to a margina edge portion of the vent, it will move laterally only therewith, and during the final closing movement of the vent there is often sufficient pressure on the tongue transverse to its directionof movement .in the closing of the vnt, to cause the upper unattached corner thereof to catch in theastockingand' tear the same.- This is particularly apt to-occur when the tongue is made ofrelatively stiff material and has been given a preformedconcavo-convex shape at its upper end.

Attached? as contemplated by me, the upper end of; the tongue'will have centered itself in its'final position beforethe vent is closed sufficiently to put pressure inwardly upon the upper part of the tongue.

The strip 6 is frictioned only on the face which contacts with the fly strip 7, so that it will not adhere to the strmgers.

I claim:

1. In the manufacture of a shoe, the production of a fly assembly b providing a sub: stantially long, narrow, s eet rubber strip, applying to one facethereof a narrow trimming strip, slitting the two lengthwise and while the edges of the slit are in close juxtasition, applying to the opposite face of the rst named strip an unslitted strip ofapproximately the shape of said first named strip.

2. In the manufacture of a shoe, the'production of a fly assembly by providing a substantially long, narrow, sheet rubber strip, applying to one face thereof a narrow trimming strip, slitting the two lengthwise and whilethe edges of the slit are in close juxtaposition, applying to the opposite face of the first named strip an unslitted fabric strip of approximately the shape of said first named strip.

3. In the manufacture of a shoe, the production of a fly assembly by providing a substantially long, narrow, sheet rubber strip, I

- ginal edges of the vent the stringers of a slide fastener.

5. In a vulcanized shoe, a tongue compris- 1ng a friction fabric strip, and unfrictioned fabric strips applied to the opposite faces thereof, the first named strip having a portion projecting beyond the lower part of one edge of the tongue for providing a tab, for the attachment of, the tongue to the lower margmal portion of one edge of the vent openmg.

6. In an elastic shoe upper having a vent opening at the front thereof and progressive closing means of the slide-fastener type associated with said opening, a stiff tongue attached to the shoe along one side of said opening only to the'extent of partial progressive movement of said closing means whereby the tongue is finally centered in advance of complete closing of the upper.

7. In an elastic shoe upper having a Vent at the front thereof, progressive slideand along one vent-defining margin of the shoe to a point substantially midway of its extent, the tongue being without attachment to the other vent-defining margin.

8. In a shoe, an elastic upper having a pair I of separable opposed margins defining an opening in the front portion thereof, fastening elements located on said margins, a slider designed to interlock said fastening elements and simultaneously draw together the separable margins, a stiff tongue underlying the opening and secured to the shoe at the unction of said margins and along one of said edges to a substantially medial point relative to the travel of said slider and not attached to the other margin.

9. In a shoe, an elastic upper having a pair of separable opposed margins defining opening in the front thereof, fastening elements located along said margins, a slider adapted to progressively stretch the upper and interlock said fastening elements, a stiff tongue underlying the opening when the fastening elements are interlocked and secured to the upper at the junction of said margins and to one of said margins at an intermediate point relative to the travel of the slider, and unattached to either margin above said point, whereby lateral movement of the tongue during the closing of the opening is limited by movement of its point of marglnal attachment to the upper.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my si atnre.

RICHARD T. .GRIFFI HS. 

